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A life & style blog written by Bash Harry, a 21 year old perfectionist with little to say but much to do. Let's talk beauty, fashion and intersectional feminism.

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5 Things to Do in New York

Saturday, 21 March 2015

It's been a year since I visited USA. The first time in my then-sixteen-year-old life outside of South East Asia. My dad needed a guardian, and I was available. We stayed with my relatives in Virginia, bordering on Washington, D.C but that's another story. During the trip, we went to New York City for a long weekend. A trip within a trip. And my, what a memorable trip it was.

In hindsight, there are a lot of things I wish I did. I wish I wasn't on my phone so much. I wish took more photos. I wish I stayed up later and talked to more people. Yet there are still many things I did that I'd do all over again if I had the chance to go back. I thought I'd share them with you!

So here are five things you should do in New York! (from the perspective of a small-country girl)

Always Walk, Never Run | My dad wanted to use the tourist bus, citing that we could visit anywhere in little time. I refused. I wanted to walk. Though by the end of the night, my legs ached in pain, I did not regret it one bit.

Walking in New York City is a small pleasure in itself. It allows you to see New York for the little things that make it New York. The strange smell of clean but stingy air, the giant buildings, the people going about their day. Walking through the streets of New York shows you what tourist pamphlets don't. It shows New York for all its subtle wonder.

Sing For Broadway | This may come from a place of bias. I love musicals, and watching two Broadway shows was a dream come true twice. I am a proud Broadway Baby, and everyone should watch a Broadway (or West End) show at least once in their lifetime.

I watched Wicked and Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. I was a part of a Wicked production a few years ago, as Nessarose. So watching Wicked in real life left me in tears, like watching something old from a new perspective. Nothing could compare the feeling when Elphaba sang the final note of Defying Gravity. Watching Fran Drescher perform as Cinderella's Stepmother is a close second.

Be a Traveler | Not a tourist. My dad and I didn't have a tourist guide, or a bus, or anyone in New York. The only thing we did was print tickets to watch Wicked and visit Statue of Liberty, and booked the hotel room. The rest of the trip beat to our drum.

Yes, it can be little difficult. For the whole trip, we lived on McDonalds' Fish-O-Fillets and Halal street carts. We couldn't find any Halal restaurants near our hotel. We accidentally walked from our hotel in Broadway to the Chrysler Building, not the Empire State. And we may have gotten lost once or twice. But that's what travelers do, get lost from the freedom of structure.

Strangers are Surprising | Sometimes the best parts of a trip are the little things, like the people you meet and most likely, will never meet again. Talk to them, their stories are just as interesting as yours. I promise.

The male stripper dressed only in tight underwear and a cowboy hat, holding a guitar in Times Square. The Caribbean woman on a subway train whom we talked about traveling. The old, black lift man who told me how it wasn't windy at the top of the Empire State Building. I may never meet any of them again, but they will always brighten my dark days.

Remember the Stories | From big stories come little ones intertwined in them. When you visit New York, a place so different culturally and socially, you will find stories to tell everyone back home. Twice and over.

I skated in Central Park, getting soaked because the ice was melting. I went to the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Central Park Zoo. A man in Sephora called me 'stunningly exotic!' In fact, people from the ticket woman to the taxi driver found my dad and I ethically ambiguous. I still find much amusement in that.

To sum up, wherever you are and wherever you go, please appreciate the moment. Take a step back to look at the present. I miss New York for all the little things, and I am so grateful it has given me so many wonderful memories.

So have you been to New York before? Is it on your bucket list at least? I'd love to know!

Oh, such a great post. I thought it was going to be like classical things when I read the title, but this is so much better! Meeting people you will probably never see again is one of my favorites things about traveling too. There is just something nice about it. Have a wonderful day,Vera

I love this post! I went to new york 2 years ago and it's one of the best trips i've been on by far! I loved Wicked, but I was still really jet lagged when I saw it so I don't think I appreciated it as much as I should have- I'm going to re watch it here in London! We actually got to do a drama workshop with 2 of their cast in NY and it was really fun!

Lovely post! I've been to NYC almost more times than I can count, one of my favorite places on earth! And I still always walk, I love getting to see new places I haven't been to before! xo // Naomi in Wonderland

I've only recently come back from New York and I absolutely fell in love with the city. I can't wait to go back already, and you're so right.. you have to walk everywhere and it's a pleasure to do so. I really wished I'd written a diary so I could remember every story :)

Ahhhhh, New York sounds so fun; it's definitely on my bucket list to visit! Your trip sounds like an amazing one, and I agree with your sentiments regarding strangers -- we'll never see them again in the years to come, but having met them is like nudging a domino to fall.

I'm going to NYC tomorrow. It's my 2nd time but my boyfriend's first time. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I'm from Southeast Asia too (Philippines) but I was raised in America my whole life.

By the way, I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Awards. Check out more info here http://floraful.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-versatile-blog-award.html and please tag people with 7 facts about yourself :)

New York is DEFINITELY on my bucket list!! And I totally agree about talking to people, I always get a buzz from talking to random strangers, some people think it's a bit odd but I certainly leave feeling a little bit more inspired and happy and it opens your eyes to the world a bit more. Great post!

Awww I loved reading this post! Cute pictures of you too! That is so cool you got to see Wicked and Cinderella! I saw Wicked in LA, but would love to see it in NY. I have been to NY once for a week and it was fun, but I was exhausted from all the walking. Definitely would have done more shopping though:)

Great tips, I often wish I had taken more pictures when I traveled in the past. This is why I appreciate blogging because it makes me take pictures so I can post them. I hope to visit New York again since the first time I went I was so young and I can't really remember much. I look forward to using some of these tips when I travel again, especially your tip on talking to strangers since I tend to avoid that.

Popped in #200 from the A-Z theme Reveal, but don't know what your's is. I love to travel but make it a practice to never eat at a chain restaurant or any restaurant I can eat at home...ie McDonalds etc. I love taking the tour trains or buses, the ones you can hop on and off without buying additional tickets. Often we ride the whole circuit to see more, then decide where we want to walk. You can cover so much more that way. It's the best of both worlds, give it a try next time out.

For someone who's young, you're very mature (don't take offence at the young part lol) and your outlook on life is something quite nice. I think it's the way I was raised but I never really appreciated my surroundings when I traveled, I don't really take pictures, but I wouldn't say I was living in the moment either. My family prefers to shop rather than sightseeing and it stuck with me.

I regret not taking a lot of pictures while in Japan, that's for sure. I had to live without a camera for 6 months or so before I finally got to use it. Y'know, it was before touch screen phones are widely used.

Making memories that stay in your mind is important, I still have flashbacks of things I've forgotten here and there and it made me go "Hm, I wish I had pics of that time so I can recall things". When I go to NOLA, I'll definitely keep this in mind, especially if I can have the chance to go to NY.

What you say about NY is definitely on point! One should definitely be a traveller and not a tourist!So glad you got to enjoy your short trip there, hopefully you'll get to go again soon and do all those things you couldn't do last time :)xxYlenia

I watched Grease musical when I went and it was amazing! Best musical ever so I couldn't better agree! I visited New-York and the summer and during Christmas period and this is two different cities! I loved them both but it's amazing to see how the season can change the face of this city!

You are gorgeous!! And this post is lovely! I had quite a similar experience when I visited NYC, too, hahaha. Wish I had watched an actual Broadway show--I settled for off-Broadway because tickets were sold out!manicpixiegirl

Thanks for these great tips Bash! I hope to visit New York someday so these will come in handy :) I personally love to do the exploring myself, no tour-guide who tells you everything - it is just less fun in my opinion, plus I don't remember as much as when I try to figure it out myself. :)